Iraqi Supreme Court orders dissolution of terrorist organization PKK-linked parties
Türkiye and Iraq's joint military exercises on the Iraqi border. (Photo by Fatih Aktaş via Anadolu Agency)
The Iraqi Supreme Judicial Council has ordered the dissolution of several political parties and groups linked to the terrorist organization PKK, a banned organization in Iraq.
This significant decision stems from the Election Judicial Commission’s response to requests from the Office of Political Parties and Organizations Affairs.
Parties dissolved
Among the groups dissolved are the Yazidi Freedom and Democracy Party (PADE), the Democratic Struggle Front Party and Kurdistan Free Society Party (Tavgari Azadi).
The decision follows a complaint from the National Security Agency, which raised concerns about these parties’ affiliations with the PKK/YPG, citing them as threats to national security.
An extensive investigation, initiated by inputs from the Iraqi National Intelligence Agency, the Iraqi Prime Minister’s Office, and the Special Secretary of the Commander-in-Chief of the Iraqi Armed Forces, confirmed the parties’ links to the PKK/YPG.
The Iraqi Political Parties Law of 2015 mandates that political parties operate independently of foreign influence and banned organizations. Under Article 32 of this law, the court ordered the closure of these parties’ headquarters and the confiscation of their assets.
Government directive
Recently, the Iraqi federal government issued a directive requiring all state institutions to label the PKK as a banned organization in all formal communications.
This directive, detailed in a letter from Falah Aboudi, Director General of the Office of Administrative Affairs of the Secretariat General of the Iraqi House of Representatives, enforces the term “PKK – the banned party” in all official documents.
National security concerns
One of the closed parties, Tevgera Azadi, was reportedly involved in gathering young children at events such as music clubs and taking them to PKK/YPG’s headquarters, to Qandil.
Following a request from Iraqi National Security Advisor Qasim al-Araji, the Supreme Court ordered the closure of PADE, Partiya Tekoşina Demoqrat (PTD) and Tevgera Azadi.
The Iraqi government has started taking serious measures against the PKK/YPG within the country, demonstrating its commitment to national security and political stability. The government has also expressed full faith in the Türkiye-Iraq Development Road Project that is being established with regional partners with this step being taken.
